Thursday, December 8, 2016

This past week makes us realize how lucky we have been for the past six months.

BB has started having seizures and her falls have increased. She fell Friday and then again this Monday. Monday she rolled her ankle and then put all her weight on it and she ended up with a broken ankle.

Going to the hospital with Alzheimer's is difficult. She cannot alert people when she needs to use the restroom. She has no idea why she is there. Dad had to remind her every few minutes why she was there, where she was, etc. The surgery was successful and a plate and screw were put in for the time being.

With her broken ankle she will need to be moved to Skilled Nursing. The issue is there are no skilled nursing beds available. There is a bed in short-term skilled nursing which is available for 100 days.

Headed to Skilled Nursing

The big BIG issue is we have to now give up her bed in the Alzheimer's Unit. Her home for the past six months. A place she is comfortable and has friends and routines.

100 days seems like a generous time for somebody to rehab from an injury but Mom cannot use a walker, she has lost most of her ability in he right arm. She shakes too badly and cannot grip anything. And forget about teaching her how to use a wheelchair.

Dad just called me saying they found her wandering the halls. On her broken ankle. This unit is not familiar to her and she is in a big room all alone.

They want to put her in restraints. That news is a gut punch.

How can you help? I never know how to answer this question. All I can ask is that you pray that BB finds peace and comfort in her new spot. Pray she can rehab and walk again. Pray that there is a bed available in the Alzheimer's Unit when she CAN walk again. Pray for Dad. Visit her, send cards, stuffed animals, etc.

I honestly didn't realize it could get worse.

Please Lord, Don't let my beautiful vibrant sweet Mother be one of those comatose people in wheelchairs in the hallway.

Thursday, December 1, 2016

I am a total sucker for paper goods. Cards, stickers, enclosure cards, labels, wrapping paper...if I could have a craft room I would! I think maybe it started when my Aunt Jennie would send stationery every year for Christmas. First little roses, and then the full monogram on pale blue cardstock. Most recently my Aunt Jennifer sent gift enclosure stickers for the kids and I have loved being able to stick those on presents and not worry about a card.

Etsy has a HUGE selection of different types of gift tags. You can fall down a rabbit hole looking through all of them so I posted some of my favorites. I think I'm going to order some of these stickers below for Dad this year so he can just slap them on gifts! Pro tip: I send the Digital Download ones to Staples, Office Max, or FedEx and request cardstock because NOBODY likes buying printer ink.